Excursions from Jodhpur

There are many options for some exciting excursions from Jodhpur. There are a number of tourist spots in and around Jodhpur. Balsammand Palace, which was used by Maharaja Sur Singh of Jodhpur as a summer pavilion, Mandore, the erstwhile capital of the ancient state of Marwar, and the Jaswant Sagar Dam are only few of the wonderful retreats in and around Jodhpur.

Mandore was the ancient capital of Marwar before Jodhpur was founded. It is to the north of Jodhpur, nearly 8 km from the city. There are beautiful Mandore Gardens with rocky terraces. The hall of heroes is another attraction of Mandore Gardens. This hall has sixteen giant figures, carved out of a single rock and brilliantly painted in bright colours. There is a shrine to visit which is home to 330 million Gods. The images of the various Hindu Gods are marvelous. In Mandore Gardens there are a lot of dewals; the cenotaphs of the former rulers of Jodhpur. The Balsammand Palace of Mandore gives a great view of the Balsammand Lake. This exquisite palace in sandstone was constructed in the 19th century.

The palace has latticed windows that allow the ventilation, which cools the atmosphere of the palace. The dome shaped structures in front of the palace provide a picturesque view of the lake. The gardens of the palace are watered by an artificial waterfall. Maharaja Sur Singh of Jodhpur used this as his summer pavilion. This palace, which is encircled by green hills, has now been converted into a heritage hotel. If you are looking for a serene place on the tour, Balsammand Palace is the best place to stay.

If you want to experience the tribal India, visit Guda Bishnoi village while on excursions from Jodhpur. Located 25 km from Jodhpur, the Guda Bishnoi village is a wonderful place to visit. Its appeal is characterized by Khejri trees and roaming deer. The artificial Guda Bishnoi Lake is a hot picnic spot. The village is inhabited by the tribal Bishnoi community. The villagers are devout worshippers of nature and animal life, and also worship Lord Vishnu. A visit to the Guda Bishnoi Lake gives us the opportunity to see migratory birds like domicile cranes, etc. and even blackbucks and chinkara. Here nothing has changed over the years, and people continue to live as they used to live since the times of yore.

In the Pichiyak village lies the Jaswant Sagar Dam. This dam was constructed by Maharaj Jaswant Singh in the fag end of the nineteenth century. The water from this dam is now utilized for the irrigation of Jodhpur. The verdant area of Jodhpur receives water from this reservoir. As boating facilities are available, this is an ideal picnic spot, besides being a great utility.

For those who are interested in wildlife, the Machiya Safari Park can be a must visit destination for excursions from Jodhpur. It is on the way to Jaisalmer and 1 km from the Kaylana Lake. Deer, monitor lizard, blue bulls, rabbit, desert fox, wild cat, mongoose, monkey, etc. constitute the primary fauna of this park. There is a point which is exclusive for bird watching. The Safari Park has a fort inside its complex, from where you could get a splendid view of the sunset.

Last Updated On: 2011/07/11